Author Event Sessions

Friday, June 26 - 3:00pm

Get ready to move, dance, sing, and play! Three respected chidren's storytime authorities, Betsy Diamant-Cohen, Linda Ernst, and Saroj Nadkarni Ghoting, will share examples from their popular storytime books, offer tips and advice, and take your questions. You'll learn about early literacy and have a great time!

People Tools for Love & Relationships
Love is the answer and you are the key to unlocking its potential. From the popular "New York Times" best-selling author of the "People Tools" series comes "People Tools for Love and Relationships." With 49 easy to use tools, Alan Fox's latest installment will teach you how to create and maintain great relationships with immediate results.

The Gatekeepers: Inside Israel's Internal Security Agency
Six former heads of the Shin Bet speak with unprecedented candor on how they handled the toughest and tensest moments of their lives. THE GATEKEEPERS is a piercing and cruel self-examination of Israel’s security establishment and of a nation that has lived by its sword for so many years but has lost its faith in its ability to lay it down.

City of Ghosts
PI Miranda Corbie will do anything to find her long-lost mother, but to do so she must expose a Nazi spy and clear her name of the murder in this breakout mystery from award-winner Kelli Stanley

The Wedding Chapel
Bestselling author Rachel Hauck (THE WEDDING DRESS) returns with THE WEDDING CHAPEL, a story of love, forgiveness, and an old, forgotten chapel.

Retired hall-of-fame football coach Jimmy Westbrook built a chapel for the woman he loved in 1949, but with a realtor looking to eat up the land where the chapel stands, he sees no reason to hang onto the past. That is, until photographer Taylor Branson arrives with an old photo, a post-mortem letter from her grandmother, and an assignment to capture the mysterious chapel on film.

Olive Branches Don't Grow on Trees; Discovery of an Eagle
The first two books in a trilogy about the Greco’s-a quirky, New Jersey Italian family.

Olive Branches Don't Grow On Trees tells of middle child, Silvia and her journey to unite her feuding family. It's filled with humor, insight and unforgettable characters! Best of 2012, Suspense Magazine.

Discovery of an Eagle is the story of a cross country journey. Readers will feel that they are along on the ride in this soulful road story as lovable characters explore a vividly painted American landscape, encounter a cast of colorful characters and discover what it takes to be truly happy.

Three Years and Eight Months
Based on true events during World War II, the book tells a compelling journey of hardships and human endurance of ordinary people in Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation. A 10-year-old Chinese American boy secretly joins the Chinese war resistance group to help save the lives of thousands of prisoners of war, as well as allied forces. Historical notes and photographs documenting the Japanese occupation included.

A recipient of 14 national book awards including 2014 Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Award Gold Winner; Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award; Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People.

Mystery of the Giant Masks of Sanxingdui
This unprecedented children’s story offers a glimpse into the lost civilization of Sanxingdui, an ancient city in China over 3,000 years ago. It is a story about tradition, honor, art and respect, revealing the people’s collective sacrifice for peace. In 1986, the epic discovery of the monumental bronzes in Sanxingdui was acknowledged as the “ninth wonder of the ancient world.” The artifacts unearthed are as old as the Pyramids of Egypt and reveal an advanced and civilized society in Sanxingdui. The ancient history of China is being rewritten as the ongoing excavation of Sanxingdui continues. 2015 Skipping Stones Honor Awards.

Daddy, My Favorite Guy
It is a beautiful and poignant reassurance of a father’s unconditional love. Daddy cooks, cleans, reads, and plays with his children. He is funny, caring, and understanding. This heartfelt story is told in four rhyming bilingual editions – Eng/Spanish, Eng/Chinese, Eng/Arabic and Eng/Nepali.

Winners of the International Latino Book Awards in the Best Poetry Book and Most Inspirational Children’s Picture Book categories, Mom’s Choice Gold Award in Bilingual Children’s Picture Books and Creative Child Magazine Book of the Year Award in Preschool Picture Book.

Sylvia's Spinach
Sylvia Spivens hates spinach. But one day Sylvia's teacher gives her a packet of spinach seeds to plant for a school garden. Overcoming her reluctance and enduring a long wait, Sylvia discovers the joy of growing food from the ground up and finds the pleasure of tasting something new. Parents identify with the challenge of feeding healthy food to a picky eater, and educators understand the magic and rewards of school gardens. Best of all, young readers celebrate Sylvia's strong will, curiosity, and, maybe, her love of spinach.

Beautiful Hands
Little hands can do so many wonderful things: touch, stretch, reach.

Based on co-author Bret Baumgarten’s question to his children, “What will your beautiful hands do today?” , the story is a call-to-action book about all the amazing things our hands can do when we put positive ideas into motion. Co-written with beautiful artwork created by award-winning author & illustrator, Kathryn Otoshi, over a hundred people's loving handprints were given in the making of this unique children's book.

My Ducky Buddy
With fun rhyming text and warm illustrations, this buoyant story goes to the heart of what being a kid is all about. A story of love and friendship between a boy and his rubber ducky. Available in four rhyming bilingual editions – Eng/ Spanish, Eng/Chinese, Eng/Arabic and Eng/Nepali.

Award winners of the International Latino Book Award, Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, Mom’s Choice Award and the Creative Child Magazine Book of the Year.

Relativity
A charming rhyming story that is not Einstein’s theory of relativity, but something just as important. Relativity is an engaging book designed to inspire children to start thinking comparatively and analytically. A Junior Library Guild Selection and a winner of the International Latino Book Award in Best Children’s Picture Book. Available in Eng/Spanish and Eng/Nepali editions.

Thomas the T. rex
Nine-year-old Thomas and Rita embark on a journey to Montana for a fossil hunting and study expedition with the Junior Scientist Club of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. Thomas discovers a 66-million-year-old dinosaur nicknamed Thomas—one of the ten most complete T. rex skeletons in the world.

Through the eyes of Thomas and Rita, young readers learn about the T. rex and how dinosaurs lived, as well as the basics of excavation and the preparation of fossils for their public debut in the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. An Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12.

Holding Silvan
Monica Wesolowska has written a deeply moving, affecting memoir about the death of her baby son. This sensitively drawn portrait of motherhood and marriage explores the meaning of life, survival, and letting go in powerful, emotive prose that transcends grief. Far from being a depressing book, HOLDING SILVAN is one of those books you read and cry over and put down feeling that the human spirit is really indomitable. Abraham Verghese said, “A tender, poignant and courageous narrative – insightful and beautifully written.”

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UNO

Unofficial Event

Friday, June 26 - 6:00pm

Secret Coders
Welcome to Stately Academy, a school which is just crawling with mysteries to be solved! The founder of the school left many clues and puzzles to challenge his enterprising students. Using their wits and their growing prowess with coding, Hopper and her friend Eni are going to solve the mystery of Stately Academy no matter what it takes! From graphic novel superstar (and high school computer programming teacher) Gene Luen Yang comes a wildly entertaining new series that combines logic puzzles and basic programming instruction with a page-turning mystery plot!